Czech Republic exchange student, Honza Belada, moved to Orinda for a semester and is staying with host family Cara and Tim Hoxie.
Most people would say no if asked to fly to a foreign country and spend a semester with a family and school full of people they’ve never met. Not so with Honza Belada, a high school senior from Tabor, Czech Republic.
Tabor is Orinda’s Sister City, and every year a local family hosts an exchange student through Sister Cities International.
Bobbie Landers, one of Orinda’s first mayors, was instrumental in forming the relationship with Tabor. However, this year Landers told Orinda Union School District (OUSD) trustee, Cara Hoxie, that they could not find a Miramonte family to host.
Hoxie’s son, Teddy, was a senior at Miramonte in 2017 when they hosted Marek, who was that year’s student from Tabor.
Even though Hoxie’s kids have all graduated from Miramonte, she decided to host again.
“I understand what a process and honor it is for the students in Tabor to be selected. I did not want this program to end because Orinda could not find a host family,” she said.
Belada is having a blast. “I came here to experience American culture, as well as meet new people, and so far I love it,” he said.
Hoxie said Belada has a great mindset.
“Honza is amazing! His English is very good. He is outgoing and wants to do everything,” said Hoxie. “He seems to be having an easy time making friends. It is so much fun having him as part of our family and showing him California.”
Hoxie, Landers and friends have already taken Belada on fun trips like experiencing Tahoe, Pier 39, a flight across the Bay Area and water skiing.
Although Belada misses having almost no homework in Czech, he says everything here is a bit better.
“The school is really nice, the students are very clever, the classes are great and the technology is more advanced,” he said.
Belada also said people’s attitudes are a lot different here than in Czech.
“In Czech, people are straight to the point and here people are kinder and more optimistic,” said Belada.
Thanks to Hoxie, Belada gets to experience these contrasting cultures and new school environments. Belada said he hopes that families can volunteer in the following years to host Tabor students.
“In Tabor, so many kids want to go here and study here for a half year; it’s the dream of their life,” he added.
Hoxie also recommends the program to any prospective volunteers.
“It really is an extraordinary opportunity to share our wonderful community in Orinda and to get to know them and their hopes and dreams,” she said. “Our lives are definitely richer for the experience. I really hope other families will volunteer to host a student.”
While Belada is not quite sure what he wants to be when he grows up, he said experiences given to him by Hoxie and Landers will shape his future.
“I am thankful to Cara Hoxie’s family for taking care of me,” he said, hoping to show what he’s seen to his parents and three brothers soon. “They’re amazing, and the same to Bobbie Landers as well.”
